Makes perfect sense does it, well for me it didn’t during the first week!

With the introductory classes in the bag (or should I say Box), I’ve now learnt the bizarre yet conversant language of Cross Fit. It’s a terminology you form a relationship with, good days, bad days, love & hate but in the end it bonds you together with your fitness goals. And I have goals.

This week, I thought it best to share some of the jargon so later on down the challenge you’ll know what I’m talking about:

WOD: “Workout of the Day” is the workout CrossFitters perform on a given day. It’s near death, but rewarding!

AMRAP: As Many Repetitions (or Rounds) As Possible – typically in a specified timeframe

EMOM: Every Minute on the Minute

Burpees: You know what they are!

Air Squat: Standing straight up, an athlete squats down until their hips are below their knees, then stands back up until the hips are once again fully extended.

Knees to Elbows: Shoot your knees up towards the torso until the elbows and knees touch

Kipping Pull-Up: Watch almost any video on CrossFit and you’ll likely see people swinging from bars like sweaty, fitness-oriented orangutans. But there’s a rhythm to that swinging, letting athletes transfer horizontal motion to vertical force and allowing for more (and quicker) pull-ups.

Walking Lung: Using bodyweight, a barbell on the shoulders, or a weight plate held directly overhead, athletes step forward with one foot and bend both legs until their back knee taps the ground. Repeat for the reps prescribed or until the legs turn to jelly— whichever comes first.

Thruster: One of CrossFit’s most deceptively tiring movements, the thruster is— “simply”— a front squat straight into a push press.

Handstand Push-Up: These are a basic movement for gymnasts— but a real challenge (and an awesome bar trick) for most regular folks. In most CrossFit workouts, athletes can kick up to a wall for stability while they perform this movement. Just remember these don’t count unless the head touches the ground at the bottom and arms are fully locked at the top.

Box Jump: No running starts allowed. Athletes jump up onto a box of a given height from a two-footed stance.

Snatch: Get your mind out of the gutter. The snatch is one of two Olympic lifts where athletes explosively lift a weighted barbell from ground to overhead in one movement, often squatting under the bar and then standing up— or “recovering”— to allow for heavier weights.

Clean & Jerk: The other Olympic lift, the clean & jerk actually encompasses two separate movements. Athletes start by explosively lifting a weighted barbell from the ground to the shoulders, often squatting under and then standing to recover. After a brief pause, athletes take a shallow dip and then drive upward to propel the bar overhead, often landing in a split position and then bringing their feet back in line.

Have a look at this week’s training schedule and follow along.

Week starting 23 May

Monday

Part A

5 sets of 3 Backsquat – start at 60% and end at 85%-90%
Alternate each set with 20M heavy sled push